Gateway
Community
College
Gateway Library News
Fall 2011
Volume 5
Issue 1
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. ” -John Dewey
Library Begins Transition Activities
Welcome to the 2011 Fall Semester! Members of the Library staff have been spending the summer preparing for
Fall Semester as well as beginning the transition of library activities for our new building. Among many new tech-
nologies we are expecting in our new facility, the Library will be implementing a Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) technology to automate our circulation and management of library materials. Our goal in this innovative
initiative is to enhance the library experiences of the increasing number of our students and community users by
providing a self-checkout system that will allow for stacks of items to be checked out simultaneously, as well as
providing faster and more efficient searching for holds, lost items, unresolved security issues, and for conducting
proper and regular shelf management. In order to convert our library to an RFID system, all library materials
must be tagged and programmed, and in 2012 our new Self- Checks will read the information on the RFID tags
and bar code on library cards, allowing card holders to check out their own materials more quickly and easily. The
library staff members started this intensive project this summer, and our goal is to RFID tag 100% of our circulat-
ing collection by the end of Spring semester, and to install most of the new staff workstations and self-checks in
the new building. So far all LW Library materials (about 32,000 items) have been successfully tagged and con-
version of NH materials is in progress.
Also, in preparation for the move in 2012, the library has begun evaluating and streamlining its reserves collec-
tion. This is being done to ensure that students have access to the most useful, timely, and relevant course mate-
rials possible. At the conclusion of the Spring 2012 semester, the library will migrate to a new single-campus da-
tabase. During this migration, the entire reserve database will be taken down, and a new one built. This new
database will be set up to best facilitate student, faculty, and staff searches for relevant course materials.
-Dr. Clara A. Ogbaa, Director of Library Services
New This Fall!
The library has recently acquired some exciting new resources which will enhance services to students, faculty
and staff. They include a streaming video database, iPads and e-Readers, an upgrade to the electronic sub-
ject/course guides subscription, and a mobile web page.
Films on Demand: This database subscription features a comprehensive collection of over 7,000 educational vid-
eos in subjects across the curriculum and provides faculty the ability to embed links to videos in Blackboard. To
access this database on-campus go to the library’s homepage and click on “Articles/Databases”, or off-campus log
into MyCommnet and click the Library tab.
iPads & e-Readers: The library has recently acquired five iPads in addition to the Kindle and Nook e-Readers.
These devices come preloaded with many ebook titles in various genres and are available for loan to students, fac-
ulty and staff.
Libguides: These electronic research guides, created by Gateway librarians, have been upgraded to Campus-
Guides for increased functionality and features such as browsing by group or subject. Faculty, to request a guide
for your course, go to the library’s homepage and click on Library Forms in the left-hand column.
Mobile Web Page: You can now use your smartphone to check the library’s hours or directions, look up items in
the catalog, use our ASK a question service, or search a library database. Click on the Mobile Web Page link from
the library’s homepage to access.
Book Review
Abraham Verghese’s Cutting for Stone hooks the reader with its first sentence. This
multi-layered novel of family and medicine dissolves ethnicity in a setting of political
extremism and poverty. In an Ethiopian mission, conjoined twins are born to a nun
who dies in childbirth and a British surgeon who separates his sons then disappears.
Out of the turbulence, two Indian doctors and the boys spontaneously form a family,
which Verghese portrays as both quirky and loving. The brothers, although genetically
identical, have different characters and temperaments. Their love and lust for the
beautiful Genet, causes a breach when one brother betrays the other. In a rich, pictur-
esque prose, Marion, the brother who emulates his missing father by becoming a skilled
surgeon, narrates the story and captures the love and loyalty among the small commu-
nity within the mission hospital. His brother, Shiva, also practices medicine specializ-
ing in women maimed during childbirth. During one period of political upheaval, Mari-
on flees from Ethiopia with the help of revolutionary guerillas, including Genet.
Arriving in New York, a low-income New York hospital immediately hires him, and
eventually he encounters his lost father, a renowned surgeon, who gradually becomes his mentor. In the end,
he must trust both his father and estranged brother to save him. This book is a must-read for those who like
a novel that keeps readers involved and makes them reluctant to let go when it ends.
—Virginia Woolums, Professor of English
LibQual Library Survey
The LibQual Library Survey was sent out in May to a
sample population of Gateway faculty, staff, and students.
Survey questions concerned the ease or difficulty accessing
tools and information, physical space and environment,
helpfulness and competency of staff, and included space
for personal remarks.
The Library received 315 valid responses to the survey,
and 136 participants provided additional comments. Ser-
vices offered by the staff registered the highest scores, ac-
companied by a large number of positive comments about
the Libraries’ performance as a whole.
The Libraries’ space that inspires study and learning and
modern equipment that lets individuals access needed in-
formation did not fare as well, with many participants ex-
pressing a desire for additional resources. Participants
also indicated a strong need for more attractive surround-
ings in the Library, more space conducive to quiet individ-
ual study, and more computer and technology equipment.
Raffle prizes were awarded to six lucky people for their
participation in the survey.
1st prize: Brian Cherrington - Apple iPod Touch
2nd prize: Rachel Williams - Sony eReader
3rd prize: Yair Arbeli - Sony eReader
4th prize: Mark Lynch - Sony eReader
5th prize: Rosemary Lovallo - Kingston USB drive
6th prize: Megan Christopher - Kingston USB drive
Librarian’s Pick
Gateway
Library Mobile
Webpage
Use your smartphone and a
barcode reader app to scan
the code above and go to the
Library’s mobile web page.
Page 3
Increase in Library Services and Resources for FY2011
Last year proved to be another very busy year in the library as the statistics below indicate. Here is a sam-
pling of services and resources utilized by the college community in the previous fiscal year. To view addi-
tional library statistics go to the library’s homepage and click on Annual Report.
• Over 300,000 visitors to the library • 4,640 hours open for business
• 257,668 hits to the library homepage • 3,176 ebook titles added to the collection
• Over 135,000 database searches executed • 2,124 print titles added to the collection
• 16,384 items lent out • 1,299 interlibrary loans processed
• 5,311 reference questions answered • 153 information literacy classes taught
Library Staff Professional Development
Dr. Clara Ogbaa, Director of Gateway’s Library, and three faculty members, Carol Brutza, Jonah Cohen, and
Martha Hayes, attended the Kroc Faculty Institute’s ’’Teaching Peace in the 21st Century” on June 19-23,
2011 at the University of Notre Dame. Kroc Institute is the leading center for the interdisciplinary study of
the causes of violent conflict and strategies for a sustainable peace. This intense program focused on the spe-
cial challenge of teaching and learning Peace Studies in order to develop a stellar program at institutions as
well as the role of the library in Peace Studies Program Development. Attendees were educators and admin-
istrators from seventeen colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad.
Funds were provided through the Professional Development Grants from the Gateway Foundation.
Shauna Carrano, Jianxin Yang and Martha Lipowski attended a symposium at Yale University, Changes
and Tensions in Teaching and Technology, on June 9, 2011.
Jianxin Yang and Dr. Clara Ogbaa attended the annual Association of College and Research Libraries Con-
ference in Philadelphia, April 1 -April 2, 2011.
Karen Kramer attended the annual Computers in Libraries Conference in Washington D.C., March 21-23,
2011.
Staff Happenings
Danielle Harris-Martin
and husband Leo wel-
comed their first child,
Leah Nicole, born on
Mother’s Day, May 8,
2011. Danielle, a student
worker in the library, is
majoring in General
Studies and her husband
Leo is also a Gateway
student.
Michele Cone, former
Gateway Library Direc-
tor for almost 30 years,
welcomed the birth of
her first grandchild on
Aug. 2, 2011. Eleanor
Cassandra, daughter of
Jenny and Bill Ruth,
weighed 91bs. lOoz and
was 21” long.
Both babies and parents are doing great. Congratulations from the Gateway community!
Student Focus
Page 4
This semester’s Student Focus is on Mario Fasano. Born and raised in New Haven but
currently residing in Wallingford, Mario is dedicated to achieving his educational goals
and helping others who are trying to do the same. Walking the halls of the Long Wharf
campus you’re sure to run into him and likely to be greeted with a hug or a handshake.
His mantra, “Giving is better than receiving,” is something he does not take lightly and
practices on a daily basis. Even with his busy schedule, Mario is always ready and will-
ing to mentor other students who are struggling, sharing with them the challenges he
faced in his life.
Mario became a father twice while in high school but still managed to graduate from
Notre Dame with a sports scholarship to Yale. He ended up postponing college to help
run his father’s grocery store and spent the last 33 years as owner and operator of five businesses. He openly admits he
made some very bad decisions in the past, resulting in serious consequences. His epiphany came one day when sitting at
home and out of work because of a disability. That day he decided to go back to school and reignite his passion for learn-
ing, after 30 years.
When Mario started at Gateway in Summer 2010 he had never used a computer. There were times that tested his commit-
ment and fortitude, but he persevered. In his second semester he made the Dean’s list and has earned a 3.71 GPA. He’s
currently working on two majors - DARC and Liberal Arts and Sciences - and hopes to graduate by Fall 2012. His plans
are to transfer to SCSU or UCONN after graduating, and he hopes to someday take a class at Yale. Mario is a student
worker in the Counseling Office, a volunteer tutor for Math and English, a student mentor for NSAR, and also plans on
becoming more involved in Student Government in the Fall.
Mario has four children whom he is proud to say have all graduated from college, and three grandchildren. He credits his
faith with getting him back on the right path and helping him through the rough patches. In hindsight, he admits he
would have made some better choices but says it’s made him who he is today. His advice to others who may have reserva-
tions about starting or returning to school; “There’s no reason anyone coming into this setting can’t succeed. If I can do it,
anybody can do it”. Words of wisdom from someone who’s been there. Mario can be reached at 203-214-1246.
Explore , Inquire , Discover & Learn
@
GWCC Library
Library staff members welcome our
students, faculty and staff.
Your library just got better!
Stop by for all your information &
research needs.
All editions of the library newsletter are
available online — go to the library’s
homepage and click on “Newsletter. ’
Gateway Library
Long Wharf Campus
203-285-2057
North Haven Campus
203-285-2340
email: library@gwcc.commnet.edu
Text A Librarian at
203-212-8329
Fall Semester Hours
Long Wharf
North Haven
Mon & Wed
7:45-8:00
Mon -Thu 8:00-8:00
Tues& Thu
7:15-8:00
Fri
7:45-6:00
Fri 8:00-3:00
Sat
9:00-3:00